If you are tired of winter, then start planning to get outdoors during PRIDE (Personal Responsibility in a Desirable Environment) Spring Cleanup Month in April.
Throughout April, Whitley County residents are encouraged to volunteer to pick up litter across the community. The annual spring cleanup is an opportunity to enjoy and care for this area’s natural beauty, which is a treasure for residents and an attraction for tourists, PRIDE officials said in a release.
The annual PRIDE Spring Cleanup is hosted by Eastern Kentucky PRIDE Inc., a nonprofit organization that promotes environmental cleanup and education, as well as economic development through tourism, in southern and eastern Kentucky. The 2022 PRIDE Spring Cleanup sponsors are Outdoor Venture Corporation and Fibrotex, USA.
“PRIDE is celebrating its 25th year of partnering with communities to keep our region’s majestic environment clean and healthy, so we are encouraging a large turnout of volunteers in every community,” said Tammie Nazario, PRIDE President and CEO.
“Since 1997, 445,827 people have volunteered with PRIDE, and more than 985,128 bags of trash and 972,103 old tires have been pulled from hillsides and waterways,” Nazario said. “Those are amazing numbers, but our region always needs one more volunteer – you!”
“After you pick up litter, dispose of it with your own trash and then call your local PRIDE Coordinator. Your volunteer hours will be added to the city or county’s Spring Cleanup tally,” Nazario said.
PRIDE Coordinators are volunteers who are appointed by mayors and judge-executives. They work with the PRIDE staff to organize cleanup activities, recruit volunteers and track cleanup results.
PRIDE Coordinators now are preparing for spring cleanup month. They will schedule cleanups and recruit volunteers to participate. They also will assist volunteers who want to plan their own cleanups.
In Whitley County, the PRIDE Coordinators are:
- Amber Owens, Whitley County PRIDE Coordinator, (606) 549-6000, aowens@2geton.net
- Gina Hamblin, City of Williamsburg PRIDE Coordinator, (606) 549-6033, gina.hamblin@williamsburgky.com
- Heather Martinez, City of Corbin PRIDE Coordinator, (606) 689-6629, heather.martinez@corbin.kyschools.us
PRIDE was founded in 1997 by Congressman Hal Rogers (KY-5) and the late James Bickford, who was the Kentucky Secretary for Natural Resources and Environmental Protection. The PRIDE mission is to contribute to the economic and cultural growth of southern and eastern Kentucky by improving water quality, cleaning up solid waste problems and advancing environmental education, in order to improve living conditions for its residents while enhancing the potential for tourism industry growth in the region.
The Cumberland Falls PRIDE Spring Cleanup is slated for Saturday, April 30.
To learn more about PRIDE and spring cleanup events near you, visit www.kypride.org.
